LONDON — Right winger Remy Grosso will make his test debut for France on Thursday after coach Philippe Saint-Andre made 12 changes for the Rugby World Cup match against Canada in Pool D.
Grosso, who plays for Castres in the French Top 14 league, gets a chance because Yoann Huget has been ruled out of the tournament since sustaining a cruciate knee ligament injury in France’s opening match against Italy.
"Remy has settled very well into the squad, he’s trained very well and I’m expecting him to score tries, like a winger does," said Saint-Andre, who captained France as a winger during his playing career. "I would like him to play some rugby, go onto the front foot, take the initiative. He would never have thought he’d be playing in the World Cup."
Only utility back Brice Dulin, powerful centre Wesley Fofana and flanker Bernard Le Roux started last week’s 38-11 win against Romania, with Fofana among the try scorers.
Dulin played fullback against Romania but was selected Tuesday on the left wing — a position where he failed to impress against England in a World Cup warmup match in August, which France lost 19-14. In that match, he was easily side-stepped by England right winger Anthony Watson for his first try.
"Dulin is a great player and a great competitor," Saint-Andre said. "He wins his tackles."
Continuing his praise of Dulin, who is a slippery runner at fullback, Saint-Andre said: "He was probably the best player on the field against Romania. He set up two tries. And he’s left-footed, which gives us an extra option with our kicking."
Saint-Andre has switched back to his preferred halves pairing of Frederic Michalak — France’s all-time leading points scorer — and Sebastien Tillous-Borde, but No.8 Louis Picamoles and left winger Noa Nakaitaci are not in the squad. Both played in the opening match, a 32-10 win against Italy.
Saint-Andre explained that he is just resting Picamoles, who played in all three warmup games and the first two matches of the competition, so that he "can recover physically and get some of his freshness back."
Alexandre Dumoulin, who started at centre against the Italians, makes way for Mathieu Bastareaud.
——
France
Scott Spedding, Remy Grosso, Mathieu Bastareaud, Wesley Fofana, Brice Dulin, Frederic Michalak, Sebastien Tillous-Borde; Damien Chouly, Bernard Le Roux, Thierry Dusautoir, Yoann Maestri, Pascal Pape, Rabah Slimani, Guilhem Guirado, Eddy Ben Arous. Reserves: Benjamin Kayser, Vincent Debaty, Nicolas Mas, Yannick Nyanga, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Morgan Parra, Remi Tales, Alexandre Dumoulin.